FIDE rules allow players to be searched (without consent) on the basis of suspicion of cheating. Do US Chess rules?
This came up in a theoretical way at my tournament last weekend.
Alex Relyea
I hope not. I would refuse to direct any event which required me to search players. To paraphrase Dr. McCoy, I’m a tournament director, not a policeman.
What is the tournament director’s role if there is a credible accusation of cheating?
To investigate to the best of his ability, and attempt to validate or invalidate the charge. However, I draw the line at physically searching players – especially at scholastic tournaments, several of which I direct each year. In an extreme case, I might ask them to show me what’s in their pockets/purses/etc., and eject them from the tournament if they refuse – but I’m not putting my hands on a player, especially not a minor.
If cheating gets to be such a problem that measures like this are required, I will simply stop involving myself in tournament chess, either as a TD or as a player. So far, in the tournaments that I typically play in or direct (relatively small events with relatively small prize funds), it has not been a problem at all.
I’m not sure about US Chess Rules, but CCA rules specify that players must submit to a search for electronic devices if requested. Failure to comply warrants forfeiture of the game and expulsion from the tournament with no refund.
Just because CCA posts a rule at a chess tournament does that make it legal in the real world? Civil rights and all that stuff???
It’s a contract. The player accepts it by paying their entry.
A metal detector wand can be had for $25-$125 depending upon quality. If one is running tournaments of sufficient size, etc., the investment is likely worth it.
Just because a rule is posted doesn’t mean the organization posting the rule has completely thought through the enforcement of that rule, or are truly prepared to enforce that rule. Cheating and sandbagging are particularly difficult topics in that regard.
I am not a CCA employee, and I certainly cannot speak for Bill Goichberg, but Bill is not exactly a new kid on the block here. I have to believe that he has thought this through pretty well. As far as the enforcement of this rule goes, you’re welcome to test it out if you wish.
My comment relates to the difficulty of thinking all the way through a process of cheating prevention, and doesn’t reflect particularly on any organizer. It’s really difficult, and requires a big expenditure of human resources. I have no desire to test anyone’s cheat detection; as a friend of mine once said “cheating at chess is like kissing your sister.”
It doesn’t really require an expenditure of much in the way of resources unless you’re going to routinely check every player, like FIDE does for some of their more significant events. I TD’d the Southern Congress for CCA a couple of months ago. There were no allegations of cheating, nor any suspicions on our part that anyone was using an electronic device to cheat. We didn’t ask to search anybody.
Perhaps a lawyer can explain the differences between “probable cause” and “reasonable suspicion” with regard to how the law views searching of adults and minors.
I, as a TD, do not feel that I have the authority to actually physically search someone to see if they are cheating. The bar or standard of evidence is likely to be pretty high before one has to go that far. The best I see that we can do is to ask someone to empty his pockets and/or show if his phone is on or off. If a player refuses those minimal requests, then a withdrawal of the player from the tournament seems like a reasonable penalty. TDs are not part of an official government entity, like the police or TSAs, with authority granted by law to do physical searches. They require special training.
If you play in a CCA event you agree to abide by CCA rules. Please note that the CCA rule requiring a player to submit to a search for electronic devices does not require the TD to meet any standard such as “probable cause” or “reasonable suspicion”. If asked, a player must comply. The CCA rules on electronic devices can be found here: